Electric switch



' March 24, 1931. G. HART 1,797,416

ELECTRIC SWITCH v Filed sept'. 28,V 1928 .il 3

/4 atto: nu*

Patented Mar. 24, y193].

A 1 GEORGE HEGEMANHART, or* WEST iinnmronn," connrzerrreum` j nrncrarc swrrcri Application sied sptemberes, 192s. lserial No. 308,979.

'f `Thisinvention relates generally to electric switches of the type having a rotatable handle androne or'morefswitch units or poles adapted t'obe snapped vinto andr` out of engagementV `iwith suitable terminals or contacts, when the 'handle` is turned. Y "The aim'of the present invention is to provide an improved, simplilied, economical and effective arrangement by means of which the r`10 handle may be quickly connected to and disconnected 'from the switch mechanism. My improved arrangement is ysuch that when the handle is in position it is supported to a large extent againstl rocking or tilting movements.

'15 Other ,objects will be inpart obvious and in part pointed outmore in detail hereinafter. .l

-' The'inve'ntion accordingly consists inthe V features of construction,` combination of elementsv and arrangementr of parts which will 20be e'xempliiedinthey construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which ,will be indicated-'in the`-appended claims.' l

.-In'the accompanying drawings wherein I 25 have shown for illustrative purposes one'embodiment which the present invention` may take: y j" Figurek lis a view'taken vertically andcen'- trally throughv the handle' and a portion-vof Y ao the 'switchmechanism ;'0

'Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing ink peryspective the handle and the Vvarious parts v carried thereby; and

r Fig. 3 is a detail view showing in top plan the actuating' member, the driving plate and the spindle, with the stem 32 in section;

InFigure- 1 of the accompanying drawings, Ihaveshown so muchof a switch of the type illustrated in Inyfc-opendingk application, Se-

necessary to make clear oneapplication of the present invention.- Y This showing, offcourse,

isby waygof illustration-only, it beingobvifous that the ynovel features herein described y J-b' mayj-,be appliedr'to-'and incorporated jin] i Y l 3Q romthespirit of theinvention.` The switch rial'pNo. 178,434, iiled March 25, 1927', as isV unitV or pole plates and the base of the switch 'arefnot shown in the drawings-asthey4 may be'of anysuitable kind.L l y y The mechanism kfor throwing the switch unit or units `with af snap movement when the handle is turned is shown only in part; amore complete understanding of this construction and Vthe `operation thereof 'may be had by referringv tofmy co-pending applica.- tion. It mayv be'statedyhowever, that 10 designatesfgenerally an *actuatingmember fixed 4tofazspindlell; 12, an'actuated member connected to the.switchunit'.I (notshown) so as torotate therewithgand '213, 14:, elements.. rotatablev with respect'tofthe spindle 11 and the members 1.0 and 12.. `The numeral 15' d`esignatesa spiral spring,the opposite ends'rof i which" are'v connected to'` therk respective elements 13 and '14. "These parts are sofassociated thatlwhen the spindle is initially rom tated in fone direction, ,one/endlof the'spring is rotatedwhilethe actuated member 12-is holdingfthe other end fof the spring against rotation;v "and when the spindle "is` initially rotatedin they opposite direction, the'other end "of the spindle is rotated while the opposite end therof is held. against'rotation'` by saidactuated member. f I d In the present illustrative disclosure, the upper end,V of the spindle is threaded as atj16 andzis vflattened fat opposite sides as at 17. The actuating member 10 has a plateportion 18.provided withan yopening 19 of 'substan tially the'same crosssection as the upper end of fthespindle so asto closely receive the same. This plate porticnlS also has a lug or'ear 20 adapted toV cooperate with the elements 13 andf14 as described in myfsaid co-pendingapplicationV The. rmember 10 further'has a hub ory sleevelike .portion21 with a slot `22 kat Afone side.y y The? sleevef'like portion has anend or top wall: 23provided Y .withuan kinterna-l threaded opening' 24. yThe V.actuating member 10 is secured in l place' onv the spindlell by means ofa nut 25.

The handle properis designated bythe letter; A; `It'has abore or well: 3 0 provided with grooves 31l at its oppositesides.'` Mountedxwithinthe well is a connector having a @@1132 provided atits upperend with ahead m0 or plate 33 having lugs 34 engaging in the grooves 31, so that the connector is held against rotation with respect to the handle. The handle is normally held against longitudinal movement relative to the stem by a coiled spring 40, the inner end of which abuts against a collar 4 1. Thecollar 41is-held4k in place by a: spring. ring 42 spr-.angl1 int-"o an annular groove 43 in the wall of the bore adjacent its open end. The numeral 44 designates a drivingl plate having` an out"-Y wardly extending arm with an upturnedend 45 engaging in a recess 45a in the pointer portion of the handle. rIlhe plate alsehas The stemv 32- hasa cylindrical'boreorrrecessk 550i slightly largerv diame'terthanf the` upper end of? the spindle-11i.A 'Ilhis stem has;l at its lower end', anexternal thread? 56! which is complementary to? the internalI thread 24V of theactuatingxmernber 10. 'Pheportionrof the stemK behinde-t'hat- ,is; abovebthe threaded portionl 56f isf-unthreadedI and! is of somewhat reduced diameter'sor that'zwhen this unthreadledf portion: engages in the threaded' opening 24= it can turn.f reelly, therein'.v The.' upper endmost convolution of the thread V56: consti;- tut'es:afshouldenwhich prevents-the connector on stemffrom'being; withdrawn fromzthe actu'- ating member.. Y

- The internaldiameter oftheI collar 4.1wis only slightlylargen than? the Vdi'arn'eterrof the hub or cylindrical portion 211 sowthatywlien the pants are in` place,l the collan hasa loose bearing onzthisfhufb.- -v

` Whena it; isdesiredrtor connect'theflandle; to theswitch, the. lower end of thefthreaded por'- tion: 56'Y isv broughtl into engagement withe the opening 24 andt'lthe'handle. is turned-rse: asfto screw this threaded" por-.tion intof theL open ing. AfterA thei threaded portionlas pui:- chase,4 the? handley is pulled? outwardly off the stem 32 so* that the* lug. 49 of the driving member will not engagein the Agroovef22'until after the threadedi portion 56 ghasLbeen-zentire'- lyy screwed through'theopeningz 24. 'lhen the i handleV is released, whereupon` theT spring 40A4 will `force;Y the handle downf wi thatl-v Jche colla-r 4'11will.v surround thehubf2`1-.nV When the handle is-.thus forcedV downfthe lug-149 will-engagein tl1e1groone'22 sothat thea'ctuatingsj member'y will rotate with theI handle Whentl1elat-teristurned; it will-ebefobserved that after the. threaded? portion; V56l has been screwedz entirely through; the opening;Y 24- the turn itin a direction to unscrew the threaded Y portion 5,65 through@the-V epening 24.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diferent embodiments of this invention could be made' without departing from thescope'therfeoit is intended that allmatter contained. in. the abone description. or shown` ini thefaccompanying. drawing` shall .be` interpreted as illustrative and notin a It is also to be understood.thattheilanf guage used inlthe following, claims .isintendedto cover allofrthe genericand-speciiic fear tures ot the invention herein described`v and alll statements;` of-v the scope et the invention-. which@A as a matten oflanguagmmigiitbefsaid to-falltherebetween,'v

I. claim asmy invention;V

Y 1. InI eleetlric switch,v a. spindle a-mem ber xedltheretofand having anopeningiprovided-with anll internal tl-iread,g ai handle having a; bere, astem slidably mounted; in said handleYV and fixed` against rotation Y relative thereto;v anda springl normally. urging: said stem: inte saidhandle,..s a' d. steun hav-ing. on its. free.- end. anx external thne'ad complemente,- said internal-1thread,y said stem also having an unthreaded portion followingand ofi lessen diameter thanL .said externally threaded. portionk andi aelaptled.v toY engage in said openingr after. said threaded, portion has been screwed therethrough.

2. Ifn-.azr electric switch,I a: spindle,` a-neactuating memben fixed thereto andY having. a.

hublike portion provided with a threaded openiiig;v at. one end-,. a` handle. having a here and-f--Xfed` against rotation relative te said handle, a collar within the-open'end ofsaid bore and adapted t'o receivefsaid hublike'fportion and aspring held( ini said= borefby said collar and `normallyv urging said-- stem into said bore, said7 stem:ha\vinganexternal'thread andy an'k unthreaded.'portionffollowingsaid external thread and adapted tof engagefin: said opening: f

3; In a'nfl electricfswiteh, a spindle, ap beanthread,` air-handle, af bea-ring; member. carried by thehandlev for engagement over said nst bearingl member, a: stem. slidably mountedr in saidV handle and: fixed against rotaryy move.t ment rel'atilvefV thereto, saidi stem! havingf an external` thread: complementaryr tol saidi.. im'- fing: member xed: thereto and" surround-ing the projecting: end. thereofl and having:- an opening provided.v anf: internal; screw about said iirst bearing member to hold the ternal thread and an unthreaded portion following said external thread and adapted to engage in said opening.

4. ,'Inan electric switch, a spindle, a bearing v member fixed-thereto and having .a threaded yopeningsurrounding said spindle in spaced l relation, said member also having a longi-` tudinally extending groove, a handle having a bore, a second bearing member mounted on 'the bore of the handle adapted toengage handle from rocking thereon, a stemslidably mounted in said handleand fixed against rotation relative thereto, and a driving plate Iixed to said handle and having a lug adapted to engage in said groove, said stem having an external thread and an unthreaded portion following said external thread and adapted to engage in said opening. n

5. In an electricsvvitch, a spindle, a bearing-member fixed thereto and having a cylindrical'portion provided with -a threaded opennk ing at one end, a handle having a bore, a stem slidably mounted in said handle and fixed against rotation relative thereto, said stem having an external thread complementary f to the thread of said opening, said stem having an unthreaded portion following said external thread and adapted to engage in said opening, a second bearing member mounted in the handle and surrounding the cylindri-y cal portion of said lirst bearing member, said n handle being adapted when in place to encircle said cylindrical portion; f

6.` In an electric switch, a spindle, a bearing member fixed thereto and having a cylinfl drical portion surrounding said spindle and provided with' a threaded opening at one end',

said cylindrical portion having av groove at" one side, a handle having a bore, a stem slidably mounted in said handle and fixed against rotation relative thereto, a driving plate iixed to said handle and having an openlng adapt'- ed vto receive said cylindrical portion and provided Witha lug adapted to engage i-n said groove, said stem having an external thread r Y complementary to the thread of 'said opening`I and an unthreaded portion'follovving said external thread, a second bearing member carried in the handle on said driving plateV for engaging about the cylindrical portion ofV said first bearing member,` said handle being adapted when in place to encircle said cylindrical portion.

GEORGE V1l'l}(u`rEMAl\T HART. 

